Travel Studio Guidelines

Travel Studio Guidelines

Purpose

The number of studios travelling abroad has increased dramatically in recent years reflecting the School’s commitment to educating students to work internationally, as well as the international activities of its faculty. The purpose of these guidelines is to provide a uniform process across the school for faculty, students, and staff who are travelling abroad. The guideline address three areas; procedures for reserving and paying for airfare, hotels, and student per diems, risk management, and the budget. The goal is to maximize the traveling studio budget while minimizing out-of-pocket costs and the effort it takes to plan for international studio travel.

RESERVATIONS

Non-Group Travel

Studio travel where a faculty member arranges with his/her studio to meet at a pre-determined destination by having each student make his/her own airline reservation based on a set amount of money for each student:

(1)  Award travelling fellowships to the students for airfare prior to leaving. Students should submit a signed W-9 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf (foreign nationals submit the Foreign National Information Form along with a copy of their passport, visa, social security card, I-94, & I-20) along with proof of travel (i.e., e-ticket) to their department coordinator or designated representative. An award won’t be processed until the student has submitted this documentation.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, your travel fellowship is considered taxable income. As such, the University is obligated to report any award $600 or more on a 1099MISC or 1042S (Foreign Person US Source Income) at the end of the calendar year. A foreign person who does not have a social security number or a US tax treaty with his/her home country, is subject to a 30% withholding tax at the time his/her check is issued.

(2)  Arrange with the hotel for a discounted group rate and request an invoice and a W-9 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf (domestic hotel only). A wire can be sent to an international hotel.

(3)  The primary faculty member can request a travel advance http://www.finance.upenn.edu/forms/c7.doc for dinners and other miscellaneous expenses.

Group Travel

Studio travel where a faculty member prefers that his/her studio travel together as a group and may or may not offer students a per diem:

(1)  A TA or another student should be designated as the liaison between the primary faculty member and the travel agencies (airline & hotel). Valerie Beulah () can assist the student.

(2)  The University's American Express (AmEx) travel agency (1-800-796-7573) is recommended for domestic travel and when the list of all travelers are known at the point of reservation. AmEx will bill directly against the department’s budget.

The other two recommended travel agencies outside of Penn that are willing to invoice us and wait for payment while finalizing the list of travelers are ATW & MACH 1 Travel. Their contact information is below:

Representative: Manish Kutheala Representative: Reeva Singh

ATW Travels Inc. MACH 1 Travel

44077 Rising Sun Terrance Suite 1121

Ashburn, Viriginia 20147 New York, NY 10176

Telephone: 1-866-692-8946 Telephone: 212-572-6956

Fax: 703 729 0589 Fax: 212-573-6945

Cell: 703 629 9623

Email:

(3)  Award travelling fellowships to the students for a per diem prior to leaving. Students should submit a signed W-9 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf (foreign nationals submit the Foreign National Information Form with a copy of their passport, visa, social security card, I-94, & I-20) to their department coordinator or designated representative. An award won’t be processed until the student has submitted this documentation.

According to the Internal Revenue Service, your travel fellowship is considered taxable income. As such, the University is obligated to report any award $600 or more on a 1099MISC or 1042S (Foreign Person US Source Income) at the end of the calendar year. A foreign person who does not have a social security number or a US tax treaty with his/her home country, is subject to a 30% withholding tax at the time his/her check is issued.

(4)  If lodging is not considered a part of the student’s per diem, arrange with the hotel for a discounted group rate and request an invoice and a W-9 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf (domestic hotel only). A wire can be sent to an international hotel.

(5)  The primary faculty member can request a travel advance http://www.finance.upenn.edu/forms/c7.doc for dinners and other miscellaneous expenses.

RELEASE

International Travel Release Forms

All students who are traveling abroad should be asked to sign a waiver (copy of form is

attached) and they should be given the Consular Information Sheet http://travel.state.gov/ for the country they plan to visit. Students who are participating should read and sign the agreement, and complete the emergency information form (page 2). The signed documents should be kept in the department office. You must inform the Office of the Dean if groups of students are going to be abroad as part of a department sponsored course, studio, or program. You can do this in the form of an email to Valerie Beulah at prior to the event taking place. Please include the names of the students, the course number/title, destination, dates, contact information abroad.

SOS CARDS

International SOS

The University has contracted with a program called International SOS that provides worldwide assistance and evacuation services for all students, faculty and staff traveling on University related travel. This is not international health insurance. Attached is more information about this program. Department coordinators should have SOS cards that they can distribute them to faculty who are taking studios abroad. You can get additional copies of the card from Chris Cataldo in the finance office.

Before your group departs for your destination, everyone should register on the International SOS website: http://www.internationalsos.com/members_home/login/clientAccess.cfm?CustNo=11BSGC000012

You can also arrive at the same web page by typing in the University membership number #11BSGC000012 at www.internationalsos.com . Click on “Personal Locator” where you can enter the information about your travel.

BUDGET

Travel Studio Budget

A detailed travel studio budget should be submitted by the faculty member to the department chair/coordinator, with a copy to the PennDesign Finance Office, prior to requesting reservations.

Purpose Code

After review and approval of the budget, the Finance office will transfer the funds to purpose code 0067 under the department’s ORG. It will be the responsibility of the department with oversight from the Finance office to manage the funds.

VISAS

Students are responsible for obtaining their travel visas. Below are important guidelines which you will need to communicate to your students regarding travel visas as soon as possible:

International Students

-Make sure I-20 is current. It should reflect current student status and current academic period. If it is not current, student must visit Office of International Programs (3701 Chestnut Street, Suite 1W).

-Make sure DS-2019 (for J-1 students) is current. If it is not current, student must visit OIP.

-Make sure travel signature (third page on I-20, first page on DS2019) is current. Travel signature is good for one year. If signature is not current, student must visit OIP and have an advisor sign it.

-Make sure visa stamp is current. If not, student must check their home country’s website for visa requirements, or student must check destination country’s website for visa requirements at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html Students may need to visit an American Embassy or Consulate (see state department website: http://travel.state.gov/ ) to obtain this stamp, as OIP does not issue visas.

US Citizens

Valid US passport is required. Please also check into destination country’s visa regulations at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html

Costs

Visa stamps can be expensive and average about $100 each. Students are responsible for these costs. OIP office hours are 10am-4pm, and walk-ins are welcome for travel signatures. If you wish to make an appointment with an advisor, please call 215-898-4661.

REIMBURSEMENTS

All original receipts are required forreimbursement. The revised Travel & Entertainment request form (C-1) http://www.finance.upenn.edu/forms/travl_97.xls should be completed by the Instructor within 10 days of the trip or event. The forms should be submitted to Valerie Beulah in 207 Meyerson Hall. Forms submitted after 182 days or 6 months cannot be reimbursed. This is a policy established by the University, not the Department.